#lizzo finally quit

[blackgirlslivingwell]

Lizzo Quits The Hollywood Music Industry

[the-technorats]

no amount of money can undo the damage of being groomed for that level of exploitation. people saw how manipulatable, how marketable these boys were when they were sixteen and just wanted any chance they could get to sing; didn't care when they were injured, sick, disordered, addicted, suicidal; as long as they were alive and their bodies were on the stage, they were making money.

but don't think for a fucking second that industry heads like simon cowell etc wouldn't sell tribute merch with liam's face on it if they thought that they could get away with it.

to everyone hating on the lyric ‘you wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum I was raised in’. please tell me you get it now. please tell me we’re gonna do what we can to make sure there isn’t a next time

[manysmallhands]

Top 10 Albums of 2023!

This was all supposed to work out differently. As i recall from the now long distant past, my original plan was to do a countdown where i put up one post a day throughout December. However, I got Covid on December 1st and that plan immediately became lame and useless. After that, my assumption was basically that i wouldn't be able to do any of this, but i got better more quickly than i'd anticipated and found myself working on these reviews in bits as the month has gone on. So, having rushed through all the the song blurbs that i wanted to do, here i am on New Year's Eve with a more or less finished Top 10 albums to put up.

The only problem is that there are ten quite lengthy reviews here and the vibe is already pretty tl:dr. But tbh that's fine: there really is only my girlfriend who ever reads everything (and i believe her, trust is what love is all about after all) so for anyone looking at this and thinking blimey, that's a lot of text, my advice is: you don't have to read any of it. Just look at the albums, scan thru to see if it sounds like something you might like and give one or two of them a listen if that looks like the case. The words are really just to keep me occupied but i'd like to hope that someone likes some of the records.

I said yesterday that i would reveal what the best one is and so I am now delivering on that important promise. The best one is Scarlet by Doja Cat. Anyone who follows me on whatever platform already knows that the best one is Scarlet by Doja Cat. Don't make me say it again.

Barbie - The Album

Few people have seemed much interested in the Barbie soundtrack, other than the punters who kept it atop the compilations chart for four months. I, as ever, channel the spirit of the populous. The sound is basically 80s synth pop updated for a modern audience  - the likes of Haim and Ava Max slot in predictably well - but its the extra dimensions created by how the artists interact with the film that provide some of its more interesting aspects. Sam Smith’s Man I Am reflects a surprisingly LGBTQ Ken despite protestations (certainly its "I'm not gay bro, but..." T-shirt is prompting a lot of questions already answered by the shirt), while Billie Eilish dwelling on life as a manufactured product makes for interesting and uncomfortable parallels in What Was I Made For. Mark Ronson’s plasticky production suits its subject to a tee, further cementing the conceptual unity of the project.

Star turns abound throughout the album as A-listers like Dua Lipa and Lizzo bring their best games alongside some terrific and unlikely downcard cameos. What Was I Made For? and Dance The Night were both deserved #1s, but the pacey pop punk of GAYLE’s Butterflies and Dominic Fike’s breezy, hook laden Hey Blondie are as much highlights as any of the bigger names here. Special mention should be made for Ryan Gosling’s I’m Just Ken, a blockbuster 70s rock number that, whilst puncturing the wider stylistic template, is batshit and hilarious enough to more than justify its place as well as netting him a surprise hit too. The quality lapses once or twice (Tame Impala in particular are bloody awful) but by the time Ava fires the final laser I’m generally happy to go back and start all over again. With banger after banger here, my verdict is in: the Barbie soundtrack is *Charli voice* HOT!

Claire Rosinkranz - Just Because

While this has been a year that I’ve gotten more fully into pop, it took a while for me to find many new albums that I’ve been interested in. This may partly be to do with me clinging to an idea that LPs ought to be substantial beyond having good hooks and charm. In truth, all I needed to do was revert to my indiepop training, where bands have never knowingly been fussed about having any great weightiness. But even so, it took Just Because to make it clear to me that no, you really don’t need any grand vision at all: a high number of great if frothy pop songs will do just fine. It’s a record which bounces from banger to banger in an endearingly sunny style, with each tune so catchy that their lightness becomes a strength rather than a weakness.

Rosinkranz’s voice seems to mark her out as one of the many Billie clones who populate the current pop scene but her musical ambitions are both simpler and more instantly engaging. Not yet 20, her songs have an element of schoolyard whispers which add a welcome silliness here and there, but she also plays with the intensity of youthful emotions to make them a little heartrending even as she goofs off. Highlights include Dreamer, a break up song where the vocal makes it clear that she’s far from as done as she says she is, and Wes Anderson, which offers some sombre advice but packages it in a song so sweet that you’d never know. But in spite of all this it makes no end of year lists (well, maybe just the one), being merely a lovable set of songs that are very hard to forget. Need it be more? I don't believe so.

Doja Cat - Scarlet

Mired in discourse throughout the year, Doja Cat still found time to make a chart topping single (Paint The Town Red) that took the world by storm and a cracking album which, sadly, did not. Scarlet was in my opinion the better of the two: largely ditching the afrobeat pop of Planet Her, Doja staked her claim as an old skool rapper and brought it off pretty well, mixing hard rhyming with her more scattershot pop delivery and sounding entirely comfortable wherever she landed. While flitting musically between modern RnB and neo-soul grooves, her subject matter was largely taken up by how much she hated her fans, a bold strategy that found her shedding support even as blistering tracks like Fuck The Girls shaped up as some of my favourites of the year.

Whilst I’ve found myself uncomfortable with both the company that she keeps and the views which she may or may not subscribe to (i feel safe in saying that she's a right wing edgelord but i suspect that’s the least of it), Scarlet is such a good album that I’ve found myself, if not making excuses for her, then at least deftly navigating around my distaste in order to keep listening to it. While Agora Hills often reminded me how serious she is about her scumbag of a boyfriend, it’s still a song that can submerge me in its beauty entirely; while some of the complaints from her online audience are less easily dismissed than others, it’s more comfortable just to think about the morons calling her a devil worshiper, especially when she mocks them so wickedly on the elegant Skull And Bones. Am I the problem? Maybe I am: it’s a place I often find myself in with hip hop, where faves are frequently problematic and exceptions beg to be made. As such, I can not wholeheartedly recommend this record to people who might want to take a principled stand against some of her bullshit. I can only say that, as a musical talent, there was no one better all year.

Lana Del Rey - Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard?

After 2021’s fairly middling brace of albums, Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd always felt like it was going to be a return to form and this time the faithful were not disappointed. It was another epic and sprawling record which unfolded like a cross between The Bible and a 50s musical. While changeable in style, ranging from hammy country ballads to trap beats and beyond, the thing that springs to mind most often is the Great American Songbook, as Lana takes the melodramatic grandeur of those standards and soaks them in her own messy and complicated worldview. This draws in family, romance, the future, her relationship with religion and how it all scrappily fits together, ranging widely and wildly across 75 extraordinary minutes.

Much of the album feels like it’s being broadcast from a kind of dreamworld, although one that overlays with reality neatly enough. Lana’s dismissive “if you want some basic bitch go to the Beverly Centre and find her” line undercuts the mood on the otherwise lush and evocative Sweet but the impact is hilarious rather than jarring, a perfect marriage of the strange and mundane. In contrast, the brooding A&W initially brings that realism to a far more uncomfortable level, before goofing off wonderfully in the second half in a way that only Lana ever really dares to do. Much of the record feels like it's creating its own language, as key phrases (“let the light in”, “when you know, you know”) are repeated and musical themes come back around in strange modulations. All in all, while perhaps less satisfying as a pop record than Norman Fucking Rockwell, Did You Know… feels like her most complete statement on a personal level yet, whilst still working well within the broader world that she’s spent over a decade constructing.

Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We

Despite liking the odd song or two, I have until now been largely immune to Mitski over the full length of an album. But The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We has a much more organic sound than I’m used to hearing from her, well adrift from the polished guitar rock of her big 10s records. Instead, it takes many of its cues from classic folk and country, occasionally lush and expansive, often determinedly sombre but always at a distance from the areas where she’s generally been at home. Opener Bug Like An Angel is a brooding scene setter, where Mitski unveils the terse and grumpy presence we will grow familiar with over the next half hour. The main elements of the album are already in place - the spare instrumentation; Mitski’s extraordinary voice, hard and intransigent but still full of yearning; the occasional, overwhelming interjections from the wings. It all creates a distinctive atmosphere, extremely intense but intimate too: we’re allowed into Mitski’s world but there’s a lot to take in.

Lyrically, the songs are both heavily allusive and extremely personal, like hearing ancient parables told by the characters from the story. Surprise hit My Love Mine All Mine seems to sit apart as a relatively standard love song but a closer listen reveals deeper layers; the placing of her love as something independent from its object makes it feel more of a piece with the album’s other enigmas. At a time where Mitski seemed to be cooling on being a rock star, The Land Is Inhospitable adds a new twist to her long musical journey, seemingly presenting a more intimate portrait while in fact retaining most of her essential mystery. As an album, it really is quite something: what that is I’m less certain of but I like it regardless.

Olivia Rodrigo - Guts

Tho I wouldn't have called myself a hater (I don’t think I would have been bothered enough), I don't really like Olivia’s all conquering debut Sour, which I thought a bit too one-note and overpopulated with slushy ballads. But by the time Guts came around I was open to listening again, drawn in by its excellent singles and primed for a different experience. Vampire, the best of them and more or less of this year, was a fantastic example of taking something that Olivia is clearly very accomplished at (the grand piano lament) and then, rather than running that into the ground, instead using it as a springboard for an entirely different idea. Get Him Back and Bad Idea Right hark back to earlier guitar based tracks like Brutal, but on Guts they form a much more substantive part of the album, cementing its brand of addictive pop grunge and working up a much goofier version of her messy teen persona.

Elsewhere, the ballads did in fact return. Some have speculated that this may have been a bad idea (right?) but for me they’ve been growers, particularly the likes of Lacy and The Grudge, where Olivia explores the bitterness of youth and uses it to tear holes in the people who’ve wronged her. But if I’m honest, it’s the rockers that I’m usually waiting for: whether the new wave pastiche of Love Is Embarrassing or autumnal Cure homage Pretty Isn’t Pretty, each one feels like a mini-revelation and it’s the style that I hope she leans on most in the future.

Palehound - Eye On The Bat 

Palehound have been around for a while now and every so often I’ve given their records a try and haven't really managed to connect with them properly. Eye on the Bat has been the first exception, though whether that's because it’s any better than the others or I just made more of an effort with it I don’t know. Its template is certainly well worn in the indie world - country rock with varying degrees of aggression or melodic sweetness - but there’s still a lot here that grabs my attention, especially in the charming indie pop of the title track and the heart-rending melancholy of Route 22.

But the thing that caught my ear the most was Ellen Kempner’s disarming honesty, with much of the album spent documenting what sounds like a deeply messy break up. Whether she’s bitterly picking through the fall out on Independence Day or remembering some hilariously embarrassing bedroom scene on opener Good Sex, Eye On The Bat's almost diaristic view is mesmerising throughout, making you warm to Kempner even as she works thru some of her own worst traits. And aside from anything else, her understanding of relationships underlines her strengths as a lyricist, as she dissects their complexities with wit, sympathy and occasional anger to capture all the stuff that transcends whatever we were hoping for in the first place.

Poppy - Zig

After the wild ride that commenced with 2020’s extraordinary pop/metal mash up I Disagree, Poppy has journeyed thru indie rock, goth and punk to wind up back where she started, only not quite. Zig may represent a return to pop - indeed it’s produced by Weeknd affiliate Ali Payami - but it’s one that’s filtered thru all of the places she stopped off along the way.

The crepuscular grind of Church Outfit and Knockoff sound like more danceable versions of the I Disagree sound, while the crunching title track suggests that she can still go as hard as ever. But there are nods to a lighter side here as well, particularly in the strong trio that wind up the album: The Attic recasts her sound in a euphoric drum n bass clatter whilst closer Prove It kicks up a remarkable blend of manic hyperpop and gentle electro-balladry, whilst still working in the rich emotional palette that she’s developed in recent years.

In one sense this is a huge departure from the frenetic punk of last year’s Stagger EP but the vibes here stake out territory that you’d still find oddly familiar. Some of the gothy ballads are less immediate than other songs but nothing on Zig is boring, just varying refinements on her ever evolving musical journey. The critics were split, occasionally rattled and sometimes just plain baffled, but that’s only to be expected by now. Poppy follows her own plan and rarely sticks to the same tune: in truth it’s a privilege just to be a witness to the chaos.

Sweeping Promises - Good Living Is Coming For You

One thing that I find missing in a lot of modern guitar based music is snappy songs with good catchy hooks. While Sweeping Promises appear to place their focus elsewhere - their high concept sound is best understood as someone broadcasting direct from 1979 through a wristwatch speaker - their second album still finds time to deliver fully on the tunes. Good Living Is Coming To You is steeped in bubblegum melodies and memorable choruses, with songs that become earworms before you’ve even registered how catchy they are. 

More than anything, it's dominated by Lira Mondal’s imperious vocals: whether it’s in the cascading harmonies of Throw Of The Dice, the fierce yells and hisses that close out the title track or her sweet voiced switch-outs on Ideal No, her character springs out of every song in a way that few singers ever really manage to impose. While you might think that the post punk era has been mined to death by now, Sweeping Promises drag new life into it by going back further: their sound may be heavily rooted in a specific moment but the elements of songcraft often have more in common with 60s girl group classics than gnarled art rockers. Ten bangers and no filler: Good Living Is Coming For You is everything I wanted from it and more.

Wednesday - Rat Saw God

While the queasy vibes of 2021’s Twin Plagues are still high in the mix here, it was the welcome injection of melody on Wednesday's third album that managed to alert the media. That lightness was more apparent in Karly Hartzman's lyrics than you might notice on a passing listen too: though often praised for her grimly amusing takes on middle American backwaters, the key to them was her deceptively soft touch, casting a sympathetic eye over grisly scenes even as she retained their gnarlier undertones.

Single Chosen To Deserve, with its crunching chorus and heartwarming romantic turnaround, feels like the designated big moment from the record but in reality Rat Saw God has an embarrassment of riches. Quarry in particular, with its Waterloo Sunset-esque signature and matter-of-fact dissection of grim local gossip, is an almost pop version of the most haunting aspects of Hartzman's craft, while the washed out bounce of closer TV in the Gas Pump pitches a lonelier scene in a similarly gorgeous manner.

This is not to forget that Wedneday can still rock extremely hard when they want to, especially on the brutal 8 minute Bull Believer, an ambitious multipart epic that ends with Hartzman screaming “FINISH HIM!!!” repeatedly over the chaotic finale. But while Rat Saw God brought this kind of sawtoothed sound back to widespread acclaim, its real trick was how it sugared the pill just enough to get it past even the most determinedly sweet tooth.

[seokjinsonlyone]

im about to rank bts members by how likely i would be able to successfully seduce them

i’m going from the bottom up

coming in at number 7 is jin like my beloved aged brethren my husband my love my sweetie honey bunny does not strike me as one that is particularly horny and even if he is i definitely don’t think i’d be able to shake him down on sight like we have the same personality type and i know that virtually nobody can seduce me and i mean i’ve seen his work on weverse like he’d shut that down so fast i’d have no choice but to die from embarrassment

at number 6 is jungkook idk about y’all but me personally i am NOT hot enough to seduce jungkook like if we knew each other and if we got drunk MAYBE but he very much gives “if he wanted to he would” so if he don’t i very much believe that i could show up in nothing but a trench coat and some red stilettos and the only thing i would get is a trip to the police station

5th on the list is hobi now hear me out i could DEFINITELY get hobi to go on a date with me like it’d probably be a pity date but we would for sure be having a candlelit dinner somewhere and then he’d realize he’s in love with me at some point okay we’re endgame but like if im talking tryna get him in bed off rip i just feel like physically im not his ideal type so if i just went and hit on him the punches would not land he’d do one of those judgmental stares and (gently) shrug me off unless we was in the club and no hands started playing bc my booty speaks for itself

smack dab in the middle at number 4 is mr min yoongi now he act like he ain’t but he done mentioned his tongue technology one too many times for me to not believe he’s subtly horny at the very least like if i caught him in a moment where he wanted to get his rocks off and i was putting the moves on him he’d for sure indulge me and even if he wasn’t necessarily in the mood i think if i tried hard enough i’d get him curious about it but there’s like a 55% chance that it ain’t happening which are odds im honestly willing to take

now my top 3 is interesting and very bold but considering the lineup is bangtan in general this is all bold anyway

at number 3 we have jimin bc like im thinking about how he saw megan and described her as innocent and pure im thinking about how he said lizzo was attractive im thinking about how he barked at the thought of usher im thinking about how when he sat in on yoongi’s concert (my show!!!!!!) he said that army was beautiful which leads me to believe that physically we have no problems a body is a body to that man pleasure is pleasure the only obstacle between me and jimin is the fact that he’s an awkward little guy so i would need to make him comfortable first and fortunately for me i act too comfortable with everyone!!!! like just give me an hour with bro and by the end of the conversation my lips would be on his

second place🥈 is namjoon now while i don’t believe im hot enough to bag jk on sight if i’m so sure i could get joon like if i’m dressed to the nines like hair done nails done everything did in my fancy bag i’d be unstoppable like i just know i’d have his attention even if he didn’t peep me from across the room or anything like that if i approached him he’d for sure be interested i know it and then the only thing id have to do is just let the tension build throughout the conversation like im not quite a genius but my iq is very high and i may not be as well read as he is but i’ve been through a lot i’ve heard a lot and i observe everything so i can definitely keep up and add to it and if i wanna talk i can go for hours and hours and by the end of the night we’d be in our jay park v era doing that body talk 🤪

and finally against all odds at number 1 the member i think i have the highest chance of seducing is kim taehyung like idk maybe it’s just me but he seems easy doesn’t he????? like i know this sounds so insane considering he’s got to be a contender for the top 5 most attractive people on this earth and really there’s no way that this should happen but you know what there’s no way that a bee should be able to fly either!! its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground but the bee of course flies anyway bc bees 🐝 don’t 🚫 care 👩‍🍼what 🤷‍♀️ humans 👯 think 💭 is 🫵 possible ✅ AND NEITHER DO I !!!!!!!! like give me a platform and not only will i have seduced kim taehyung but i will have him chasing after me we all know he’s a people person like loves making friends loves getting to know people and he a sucker for a compliment he said it himself on multiple occasions he’s a good boy i meet him we chit we chat i tell him i like his shirt then fiddle with the sleeve a bit maybe feel up his bicep and then walk away he’s HOOKED and maybe he gets distracted but then he sees me chopping it up with someone else and is like ❓then he’s finding me we talk a little again i compliment him again i part ways he’s following after me and engaging whatever group i join next i walk away again until he’s literally chasing after me and he corners me and that’s all she wrote like all i got to do is tell him he look good and we having a great night and an even better morning i’m soooo sure of it

anyway randomly had that thought while i was driving home from work feel free to share which member you think you could seduce so i don’t seem like the only mentally unstable person on this website 🎤

[cyarskj1899]

ENTERTAINMENT

Black Hollywood’s Biggest Scandals, Surprises of 2023

From Will and Jada’s relationship, to Angela’s Oscars snub, to multiple shocking sexual harassment lawsuits, we’re looking back on Black Hollywood’s crazy year.

By

Stephanie Holland

PublishedThursday 8:00AM

So 2023 was quite the year. It felt like every week we were dealing with a sexual assault lawsuit, a shocking breakup, or an unexpected medical scare. While this probably wasn’t crazier than any other year, it sure felt like we were overwhelmed with celebrity scandals and surprises. Just in case you need a refresher, here’s a roundup of some of the biggest headline-grabbing celebrity moments of the year.

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2 / 16

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Hollywood On Strike

Dual strikes by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA brought Hollywood to a stand still as the unions set up star-studded picket lines in front of major studios. Productions were shut down for six months, delaying the start of the fall TV season and forcing films to push back release dates. Now that the work stoppages are over, it will be interesting to see how long it takes for business to bounce back.

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3 / 16

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Jonathan Majors Assault Trial

Just as he was about to level up in Hollywood, “Creed III” star Jonathan Majors was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. After a revealing two week trial, the Kang actor was found guilty of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment, leading Marvel Studios to finally fire him. He’s currently scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 6.

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4 / 16

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Lizzo Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Lizzo’s fans were shocked when the Grammy-winning singer, who’s all about body positivity, was sued by three former dancers alleging “sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment, among other things.” The “Juice” artist has called the accusations “false” and filed a motion to dismiss.

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5 / 16

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Are Will and Jada Still Together?

The promotional tour for Jada Pinkett Smith’smemoir, “Worthy” revealed more than we ever wanted to know about her and husband, Will Smith’s, marriage. Though they’ve been separated for years, they remain committed to their marriage, with Jada saying “the slap” actually made them stronger.

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6 / 16

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Diddy Sexual Assault Allegations

Rapper/producer Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a bombshell lawsuitaccusing the Bad Boy founder of sexual assault, rape and physical abuse. They settled the suit the day after it was filed, but in the aftermath of Cassie’s allegations, three more women have filed sexual assault lawsuits against the “Last Night” rapper.

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7 / 16

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Michael B. Jordan Ferrari Crash

The “Creed III” actor/director may find himself starting 2024 in hot water. His Hollywood car accident, where he crashed his Ferrari into a parked car, is now under investigation by the LAPD.

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8 / 16

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Jamie Foxx’s ‘Medical Complication’

Fans were deeply worried for the Oscar winner when news broke in April that he was rushed to an Atlanta hospital with a “medical complication.” His inner circle kept the details of his illness very quiet, which led conspiracy theories to run rampant. Jamie ended the year by making his first major appearance since the incident and telling the world that he wasn’t “a clone.”

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9 / 16

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Angela Bassett’s Oscars Snub

In the months leading up to the 2023 Academy Awards it seemed like Angela Bassett was a lock to finally win her long overdue Oscar. However, Academy voters decided to honor Jamie Lee Curtisfor “Everything Everywhere All at Once” instead. As if that disrespect wasn’t enough, viewers thought our queen wasn’t humble enough in defeat. Nope, we’re not having it. She’s set to receive an honorary Oscar, but it feels like a weird consolation prize.

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10 / 16

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T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach’s Messy Romance

This scandal actually started in December 2022and has somehow stretched all the way into December 2023. TJ Holmes and Amy Robach started the year by being officially let go from “GMA 3” after their affair led to controversial headlines. As if that wasn’t messy enough, rumors have recently circulated that their exes are now dating, something Amy is reportedly “livid” about.

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11 / 16

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Jeezy and Jeannie Mai’s Ugly Split

In case you needed more proof that Instagram is not real life, rapper Jeezy stunned fans in September when he filed for divorce from wife Jeannie Mai. Their split has gotten incresingly contentious with Jeannie accusing Jeezy of cheating and him alleging that she’s “gatekeeping” their daughter. This is going to get messier before it’s over.

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12 / 16

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Vin Diesel Sexual Battery Lawsuit

The actor’s former assistant filed a sexual battery lawsuit against the “Fast & Furious” star. She accused him of sexually assaulting her while she worked for him when he was shooting “Fast Five.” A statement from his attorney says in part, “Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety.”

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13 / 16

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‘Renaissance’ Isn’t Album of the Year

Harry Styles is a very talented artist, but we’re not going to pretend that “Harry’s House” had the impact of “Renaissance.” We’re not playing The Recording Academy’s game anymore. You keep nominating Black artists, then passing them over for the major awards, so it’s clear what you think of our icons.

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14 / 16

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Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson

Following Darius Jackson’s public criticism of Keke Palmer’s outfit, the internet spent months speculating about the state of their relationship. The “Nope” star surprised us all in November when she filed a restraining order against her son’s father, accusing him of domestic abuse. They were planning to settle things through mediation, but now Jackson is making abuse claims against Palmer. This is a devastating situation for the entire family.

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15 / 16

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Tory Lanez is Finally Sentenced

After multiple motions and delays, rapper Tory Lanez was finally sentenced to 10 years in prisonfor shooting Megan Thee Stallion. He now finds himself in supermax prison, while Megan is set to perform in Time Square on New Year’s Eve.

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16 / 16

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Sent from my iPhone

[honeysucklepink]

Share some good things from this year (2022):

1. A new song or artist you enjoyed 🎶🎤🎸

2. A new ship you climbed aboard 🛳⛵️🚣‍♀️

3. A show you made someone else watch because you liked it so much 📺🎥🎬

4. A hurdle you made it over (even if you tripped over it) 🏃🏼🪨

5. A book that made you go ☺️

6. Favorite meme?

7. Blorbo of the year? 👑

8. Favorite thing you gifted to yourself? 💐

9. Favorite thing you gifted to someone else? 🎁

10. Number of times you changed your hair (style or color)?👩🏻‍🎤💇‍♀️🧑🏻‍🦲

I got quite into Doja Cat this year, mainly because of dance class. Also Lizzo's new album was a banger, and "About Damn Time" was on repeat (not enough on Spotify apparently)

Thank you to everyone who constantly posted about Our Flag Means Death and got me into Blackbonnet. Also now a fan of Stranger Things' Steddie (not a Byler shipper however, sorry, but Will can do better).

My sister and her GF finally watched Only Murders In The Building so yay for that!

My promotion to professor document! It's gotten through over half the process; now I'm just waiting for the Dean, Provost, and University President.

(tiny voice I didn't read any books this year I'm sorry, though I tried, but fanfic was too strong)

There have been so many, but the entire site improvising a 1970s Scorsese movie was fun. Watch Goncharov become real...

Always been Darren, always gonna be Darren.

My 49th birthday trip to New York and seeing 6 shows in 4 days.

I got my hubby a small bottle of Floris No. 89, the cologne that James Bond canonically wore in the original Ian Fleming books.

Actually, zero...I spent this year growing out 2021's color and am now fully back to my natural brown with new streaks of gray.

[upalldown]

SZA - SOS

Second album of r&b pop from the Solána Imani Rowe with guest appearances from Phoebe Bridgers, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Travis Scott, and Don Toliver

7/13

Emerging more than five years after her debut album Ctrl (and three years later than it was first announced) it’s been a long, odd wait for SZA’s second album SOS – to the point that over the past couple of years SZA seemed to even have a vague public spat online with Top Dawg record label boss Punch about getting it out there.

That’s a bad sign, right? Within forty-five seconds my first thought about this excellent album is the same as my concluding thought will be, an hour later: Solána Imani Rowe is a world class talent – one of the very best – and she’s not getting good enough service. Quite apart from all the horrible exes and bad shags and treacherous frenemies strewn across the songs, in real life SZA’s not being protected well enough by the business folks around her. And maybe the insecurity of that corporate failure is starting to poke through the surface of some otherwise phenomenal music.

It’s not like SZA vanished into the gap between albums. She’s not the Stone Roses. She has an Oscar nomination for her Kendrick Lamar collab ‘All The Stars’, from Black Panther. She’s guested on a pile of hits and kept the big singles coming, over the years. She’s done all the necessary social media teaser nonsense and fully embraced the hyperreal, ultra-branded expectations placed upon a modern pop superstar.

Then a month ago we got the blood-soaked body-swap psychodrama video for ‘Shirt’, co-starring LaKeith Stanfield. The song’s slow groove and aching, upswung melody belied the pace and high fantasy violence of the visuals. Even ‘Shirt’ had been long teased – fans got snippets of it online way back in 2021.

Now the album finally lands and it’s enormous. SOS is twenty-three tracks long and sonically it sprawls all over the hood. From low to high, clipped to soaring, SZA’s vocals are icily superb and her overwrought writing is vivid throughout. These progressive, ambitious melodies act like stitching to hold together the patchwork of an exceptionally diverse approach to genre and production. SOS hops around like mad. And in that context, with such an open-minded attitude to style and form, SZA deliberately – aggressively, even – forces herself into the chaotic centre, to become one of those backbone artists, whereby the music will pay service to her vision, not the other way around. It bodes well, because clearly she could sing just about anything.

Apart from slow grooves, electronic pop, and hip hop structures, there’s also a loose-limbed indie acoustic sensibility brought to quite a few of the songs. On a lot of R&B pop records those attempts at a token four-chord indie strum are the awful weak points (Lizzo’s lame-ass ‘Coldplay’ definitely shouldn’t have made the cut on her album, for example). By contrast SZA’s performances and lyric writing in that boring genre easily stand firm. It’s like she knows how to use (and abuse) white boy floppiness so effectively, it gives the harder, deeper stuff even more power.

Last week she told Billboard that because she grew up around white people, in musical terms, she accessed that kind of sound earlier. She’s having to consciously shift direction towards embracing artifice, from where she considers the ‘natural energy’ of her roots. SZA says “I wanted to be, like, crass. I’ve created the person I wanted to see in the world.”

So how does she pull it all together, especially over so many tracks, without SOS becoming bland mainstream mush? Aside from vocal variety, she does it with some truly exhausting emotional content. However dazzling it can be, SOS is often a murderously miserable record: broken-hearted, emotionally chaotic, confused and traumatised. It’s a record about desperately, unwisely, clinging onto some of the worst shit ever. A record about still having the horn for men who long proved they’re disgusting. SZA navigates such power juggling, the stupidity of fame, her broader self-knowledge, with the vicious aplomb of a daytime reality TV show, where the ratings spike when there’s a fight.

‘Blind’ for example, could be the lightest of finger-picked acoustic meanderings, except her staccato lyric slices it up.

Hey, my past can’t escape me My pussy precedes me My, my, how the times change I’m still playing the victim And you still playing the ‘pick-me’

You still talkin’ ‘bout babies And I’m still taking the Plan B

There was this one moment in that violent ‘Shirt’ video where, after abandoning her partner-in-crime (or alter-ego) to get cut to pieces by white-coated paranoia avatars, SZA’s character, now alone, suddenly turns and shoots round after round into an empty alley wall. Then you realise she’s murdering her own shadow, which detaches and drops dead onto the ground. The moment is gone in a flash – it’s a small detail. But listening to SOS (trying to get my head around all the hard dirt being uncovered), I think how apt and emotionally indicative that short scene was.

SZA represents herself shockingly often as a kind of shadow of herself in moments of death and of liberation, both at once. In the slightly Eminem-ish ‘Kill Bill’ her narrator briefly pretends to herself she’s okay with her ex and his new girl, while also pondering killing him. A therapist may try to distract her (impotently) with the notion of other guys, but no, by the final chorus she’s inevitably done the job and offed them both.

‘Nobody Gets Me’ is another heartwrekt indie ballad that comes off like a spikier Lana Del Rey, with a similar use of edgy post-millennial language to undercut what could otherwise be a soul ballad. The sentiment may boil down to “nobody gets me but you,” but the first verse has this ace summary line –

You were balls-deep, now we beefin’

That’s SOS in a nutshell. Like the shot-dead shadow, SZA liberates and destroys herself easily as blinking. She repeatedly sums up the whole in neat, seedy phrases. There are so many beefs here, it almost gets silly. The problem isn’t that the sheer scale of harshness and loneliness with exes, new partners, business acquaintances, whoever, is draining (though it is). The problem is that she skitters around all those feelings so quickly. One senses – and hopes on her behalf – that it’s not real.

‘Special’ splices flavours of Alicia Keys’ ‘New York State Of Mind’ to the self-loathing of Radiohead’s ‘Creep’. The craft is showing, so is she making it too obvious? I don’t actually enjoy this much apparent self-loathing over the course of a long record, so if there are clues that it is song-craft, rather than self-excavation, then I’m heartened. In conversation, SZA is acute about distinctions between reality and persona, which gives a reassuring clue that at least some of it is performative.

This is how I start to wonder if outside forces have, for a while, tried to manipulate her public character to present as ‘troubled’, or an antihero, while SZA herself is pushing in another direction, at least for now.

Talking to Billboard again: “That’s like my biggest goal right now, is to learn to enjoy myself and be happy.” She says, “I know that I’m blessed and I have a lot of opportunities, but I don’t know, am I building myself, like chasing after superstardom? I don’t know if that’s sustainable for me, or for anybody. It’s all so scary. I hate being on camera. I hate talking because I put my foot in my mouth a lot. It’s not like the album pressure, it’s just like life is fucking hard and to be expected to do anything at a high level while life is life-ing is fucking crazy. And then you’re supposed to be a nice person on top of that!”

Artists fretting publicly about putting their foot in their mouth is another red flag.

Meanwhile, before even listening to ‘Ghost In The Machine’ I’m annoyed that Phoebe Bridgers shows up on SOS at all. Bridgers is becoming so incredibly ubiquitous on other folks’ records, it’s starting to have the opposite effect than intended. I love her music and some of her own collabs and cover versions (she nailed Bo Burnham’s ‘That Funny Feeling’ for example) but right now she brings a kind of magic indie countercultural ‘good for business’ aura that everyone covets a piece of, regardless genre or artistic vision. I accept this is my British snobbery: the Americans simply don’t think like we do, when it comes to having a celebrity pal on an (ultra-hip, genre bending R&B electro pop) album, who was already a guest on five other records this autumn, including the solo album of the singer out of fucking Mumford & Sons. That’s on me, though.

Then suddenly ‘F2F’ (which Lizzo has a writing credit on) spins another sonic one-eighty, taking a similar horny-sad theme but sounding so much like a basic alt-pop jam (complete with fuzzy guitar stop-starts) that it could be Olivia Rodrigo, or even Maisie Peters. Miley Cyrus would slay this tune. It may be the album’s most plain upbeat moment, though the chorus is “I fuck him cos I miss you.”

It’s true for many artists but especially true here: if you dig SZA’s dextrous voice and don’t mind a load of misery, you may easily (and rightly) fall in love with SOS. I’m adoring her instrument and all the heady iconoclasm. She makes tough singing sound so easy, one can miss the tumbling journey of it all, and fail to notice the heights she’s reached along the way. And of course, it’s only because of that vocal talent and these lyrics, that the audio production can throw itself all around the park.

Also, because SZA can spit too, I think she gets bracketed too closely to the hip hop universe, when her actual vibe is so much broader, and leans nearer to the psychedelic adventures of FKA Twigs, alongside the minimalist, nihilist pinup tendencies of Del Rey. Nihilism is key. It’s starting to do my head in how much nihilism and vengefulness are centred in this modern pop, presented as though that’s somehow a more truthful part of our emotional experience than, say, the simpler ups and downs of lust and loss. A question I can’t figure is: is it self-disempowering that she embraces the tropes, or the opposite?

If there’s a failure in SOS it’s how monumentally hard it tries, as if the non-creative people around the artist are still demanding more, or demanding different, or trying to control the creative output, to a point that risks slaughtering confidence and maybe results in the desperate scattergun shooting of one’s own shadow.

A brilliant, clever, broken junkyard of an album, often compositionally and melodically so gaspingly good, I’ve completely fallen for large chunks of it. Yet at times (too many times) SOS risks coming off like self-exposing fan service for the lowest common denominator of the TikTok succubus mob. It’s too long. It may be two great albums. I might have a go at dividing the tracks myself. And this is an odd conclusion to draw from listening to a record and doing a bit of casual online reading about an artist – but I’ve ended up where I started, with a snowballing worry that SZA has enough greatness to be still higher up the food chain, and what she needs and deserves is better service from the business plods around her. So they tell her less and listen to her more. So they help her stop worrying about herself and better trust the value of what she already contributes, which is both bloody and golden.

https://thequietus.com/articles/32478-sza-sos-review

[lornahansonforbes]

Last night I was watching The Grammy Awards and I thought of you. I know. Dude. Shut the fuck up and I’ll explain. So, anyway, there was this performance by Steve Lacy, “Bad Habit” and the chorus went something like, “…I wish I knew…” or something similar. Then when the camera cut to Lizzo saying those words, it hit me. I’ve been wondering why you are my bad habit? I know about addiction etc and I’ve overcome many problems and I’m still working on myself. Yet there you are and I know that we’re toxic. As I posted earlier about domestic violence, I have to grapple with those same feelings. I’m sorry for that but I am not a fucking idiot. I am quite well aware of this and I know the difference between reality, fantasy and my visions. The final analysis is, I wish I knew. The Taurus in you, will never know. You think you know but you don’t and that’s on you. That empathy streak in me knows something and just maybe one I’ll have clarity but I still wish I knew.

[fortressofserenity]

Still alive

The odd thing about Radio Disney is that it was one of several attempts at launching a kid-orientated radio station in America and the most successful one around, but one that lasted longer elsewhere and most especially in Latin America. There are still Radio Disney branded stations in Mexico, Argentina and Brazil as far as I know about those, one of them got me into things like Felix Jaehn and Regard in a way.

But it's also the place to relive those awkward teenage years of mine like Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, The Rasmus and Linkin Park, I never got around to listen to the US version of Radio Disney. The one that got other RD branded stations into being, but I suppose it too lead people into discovering certain musicians and bands to their likings. From my listening experience, it's the place where I first listened to the likes of Lizzo, Maneskin and Olivia Rodrigo.

Funny enough, both Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo are the two most recent musicians that I know of to get their start on the Disney Channel, but since their songs get played on Radio Disney that Disney's practically inescapable. Same goes for alumni like Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Miley Cyrus. I don't listen to it as much as I did early on last year, that's been occupied by things like Radio Maria, Hope FM, Citi FM and Energy FM.

One of them got me into listening to radio sermons a lot, as well as trying out other radio stations when it doesn't broadcast those. But it was the first radio station that I listened to often whenever RJFM signs off every 2 in the morning, that station got me addicted to the radio a lot. But with it signing off every 2 AM is a blessing in disguise because I can finally listen to other stations. So it's quite a ride going back to listening to other stations, well gradually after listening to RJFM almost exclusively throughout much of 2022.

[cyarsk52-20]

What moment was in your opinion the biggest shocker /scandal of the year? 📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://www.theroot.com/black-hollywood-s-biggest-scandals-surprises-of-2023-1851126606?

Sent from my iPhone

Black Hollywood’s Biggest Scandals, Surprises of 2023

From Will and Jada’s relationship, to Angela’s Oscars snub, to multiple shocking sexual harassment lawsuits, we’re looking back on Black Hollywood’s crazy year.

By

Stephanie Holland

PublishedYesterday

So 2023 was quite the year. It felt like every week we were dealing with a sexual assault lawsuit, a shocking breakup, or an unexpected medical scare. While this probably wasn’t crazier than any other year, it sure felt like we were overwhelmed with celebrity scandals and surprises. Just in case you need a refresher, here’s a roundup of some of the biggest headline-grabbing celebrity moments of the year.

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2 / 16

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Hollywood On Strike

Dual strikes by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA brought Hollywood to a stand still as the unions set up star-studded picket lines in front of major studios. Productions were shut down for six months, delaying the start of the fall TV season and forcing films to push back release dates. Now that the work stoppages are over, it will be interesting to see how long it takes for business to bounce back. Since this means that a lot of new seasons of best tv shows are coming by the spring and summer so check your calendars

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3 / 16

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Jonathan Majors Assault Trial

Honestly this might be the quickest fall from grace in the history of Hollywood and that’s saying something. Just as he was about to level up in Hollywood, “Creed III” star Jonathan Majors was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. After a revealing two week trial, the Kang actor was found guilty of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment, leading Marvel Studios to finally fire him. He’s currently scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 6.

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4 / 16

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Lizzo Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Lizzo’s fans were shocked when the Grammy-winning singer, who’s all about body positivity, was sued by three former dancers alleging “sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment, among other things.” The “Juice” artist has called the accusations “false” and filed a motion to dismiss.

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5 / 16

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Are Will and Jada Still Together?

The promotional tour for Jada Pinkett Smith’smemoir, “Worthy” revealed more than we ever wanted to know about her and husband, Will Smith’s, marriage. Though they’ve been separated for years, they remain committed to their marriage, with Jada saying “the slap” actually made them stronger. Wait, I thought we were over the slap last year?

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6 / 16

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Diddy Sexual Assault Allegations

Rapper/producer Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a bombshell lawsuitaccusing the Bad Boy founder of sexual assault, rape and physical abuse. They settled the suit the day after it was filed, but in the aftermath of Cassie’s allegations, three more women have filed sexual assault lawsuits against the “Last Night” rapper. If the allegations are true then he’s a disgusting and sadistic perverted fquck who deserves the worst

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7 / 16

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Michael B. Jordan Ferrari Crash

The “Creed III” actor/director may find himself starting 2024 in hot water. His Hollywood car accident, where he crashed his Ferrari into a parked car, is now under investigation by the LAPD.

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8 / 16

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Jamie Foxx’s ‘Medical Complication’

Fans were deeply worried for the Oscar winner when news broke in April that he was rushed to an Atlanta hospital with a “medical complication.” His inner circle kept the details of his illness very quiet, which led conspiracy theories to run rampant. Jamie ended the year by making his first major appearance since the incident and telling the world that he wasn’t “a clone.” We’re glad he is recovering and wish him a healthy 2024

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9 / 16

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Angela Bassett’s Oscars Snub

In the months leading up to the 2023 Academy Awards it seemed like Angela Bassett was a lock to finally win her long overdue Oscar. However, Academy voters decided to honor Jamie Lee Curtisfor “Everything Everywhere All at Once” instead. As if that disrespect wasn’t enough, viewers thought our queen wasn’t humble enough in defeat. Nope, we’re not having it. She’s set to receive an honorary Oscar, but it feels like a weird consolation prize. We see through you Oscars!

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10 / 16

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T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach’s Messy Romance

This scandal actually started in December 2022and has somehow stretched all the way into December 2023. TJ Holmes and Amy Robach started the year by being officially let go from “GMA 3” after their affair led to controversial headlines. As if that wasn’t messy enough, rumors have recently circulated that their exes are now dating, something Amy is reportedly “livid” about. It’s giving wife swap and Shania Twain vibes

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11 / 16

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Jeezy and Jeannie Mai’s Ugly Split

In case you needed more proof that Instagram is not real life, rapper Jeezy stunned fans in September when he filed for divorce from wife Jeannie Mai. Their split has gotten incresingly contentious with Jeannie accusing Jeezy of cheating and him alleging that she’s “gatekeeping” their daughter. This is going to get messier before it’s over.

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12 / 16

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Vin Diesel Sexual Battery Lawsuit

The actor’s former assistant filed a sexual battery lawsuit against the “Fast & Furious” star. She accused him of sexually assaulting her while she worked for him when he was shooting “Fast Five.” A statement from his attorney says in part, “Vin Diesel categorically denies this claim in its entirety.”

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13 / 16

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‘Renaissance’ Isn’t Album of the Year

Harry Styles is a very talented artist, but we’re not going to pretend that “Harry’s House” had the impact of “Renaissance.” We’re not playing The Recording Academy’s game anymore. You keep nominating Black artists, then passing them over for the major awards, so it’s clear what you think of our icons. Yeah, fq YOU right back Grammys

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14 / 16

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Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson

Following Darius Jackson’s public criticism of Keke Palmer’s outfit, the internet spent months speculating about the state of their relationship. The “Nope” star surprised us all in November when she filed a restraining order against her son’s father, accusing him of domestic abuse. They were planning to settle things through mediation, but now Jackson is making abuse claims against Palmer. This is a devastating situation for the entire family.

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15 / 16

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Tory Lanez is Finally Sentenced

After multiple motions and delays, rapper Tory Lanez was finally sentenced to 10 years in prisonfor shooting Megan Thee Stallion. He now finds himself in supermax prison, while Megan is set to perform in Time Square on New Year’s Eve.

considering his history of violence against others for no reason whatsoever and his treatment of Megan despite her kind enough to not have him arrested for shooting at her the same night of the incident which was not different from those who are considered sociopathic and sadistic, no wonder why people who express their outrage against him think that ten years isn’t enough and wished he was executed. But considering that all the violence and pride came back to bite him in the rear end, those who believed in karma will look at this and think “see I told you that karma existed “

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16 / 16

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[thescrapbookingscientist]

Bimonthly Media Roundup

- Castle in the Sky (Movie) - Technically I watched this a few weeks ago, but I straight up forgot to put it on my list which I guess is somewhat telling even if I did like this movie overall. For the positives it definitely has the usual ghibli charm of wholesome characters, creative and beautiful backgrounds, a pro environmental message, and some pretty memorable shots. I do appreciate that the movie didn't feel the need to over explain and just had the characters rolling with whatever happened, which was pretty charming. It is kind of to it's detriment that I saw it this late though, as I feel that most of what it's trying to do was done better in later ghibli moves. I also watched it when I was very tired and found it hard to focus which didn't help. There was a lot of weird romantic gestures made towards the 23 year old girl from grown adults too which uh was not great. Overall cute movie but not my favorite from them.

- Project Eden's Garden (VG) - Re-watched a play-through of this as I really like the designs. I hope Chapter 1 comes out sometime this year, the prologue was pretty promising.

- Stuck in my Sister's Dating Sim (Webcomic) - Kind of a guilty pleasure as it's not very good and it's frankly comical how the two main love interests are just pallet swapped versions of the same character, same personality and all, but the secondary lesbian couple is cute and I like period fantasy so whatever.

- Red, White, and Royal Blue (Movie) - Watched this with the family as a cute romcom and it was decent. I liked the set-up, costuming, and some of the comedy well enough but it was a little TOO wholesome corny for me tbh. I'm glad that this exists though, and hope we get more mainstream LGBT+ content.

- Hilda (TV) - The final season of Hilda aired, and while I will miss the show I am glad that it never suffered from seasonal decline and ended on a high note. I missed a lot of the minor characters this season but I understand that they took a backseat to focus on Johanna and Hilda;s relationship, which has always been the heart on the show. The fairy realm and the lore around it was also very cool, and as usual I love the color pallet and interesting monster designs.

- The S Classes That I Raised (Webnovel) - Loving this slave auction arc so far, we get Han Yoojin fully utilizing his manipulation skills for good(?) while also in a cute chinese outfit.

- Heaven Official’s Blessing (Anime) - Finally was able to catch up on some new episodes and they've been pretty solid so far. This is an arc I quite liked so it's interesting to see it play out visually.

- One Piece (Anime) - Water 7/Ennis Lobby was so far perhaps my favorite One Piece arc, as it had great pacing, great development for Robin, Fantastic new characters like Franky, Iceberg, and Kokoro, fun crew interactions, an interesting location, good drama with Usopp and Merry, and some intriguing expansion of the worlds lore and the ever unfolding mysteries of the series.

- Genshin Impact (Video Game) - Having fun with the new event, and recently got Sucrose as my first non Lynette/Traveler anemo character. I really like her so far, she's very cute and really fun to play.

Listening To: Can’t Catch Me Now cover by Annapantsu, Make Up Your Mind and Shake it Out by Florence + The Machine, The Bidding by Tally Hall, Curses by The Crane Wives, Juice by Lizzo, Stalkers Tango by Autoheart, Downtime by Macklemore, Rose-Colored Boy by Paramore, Wrecking Ball by Mother Mother, Crossing the Line by Mandy Moore, Roll With The Punches by Dawes.

[rleonard9]

thank god your finally quitting

someone play that lizzo song that’s like “it’s about damn time 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻”

🦅 sent me that when i told her 😭 i love it

[misadventuresofanamericanteen]

Entering whatever era this is in my life 🦋

It’s about damn time or whatever Lizzo said in her song. I know this post won’t matter to anyone else but me and that’s okay. Quite frankly that’s why I started this blog. This is the home of all of my internal thoughts. And you all just get to bare witness.

Today, I’m 21 years old and it sucks. I’ve finally outgrown my teenage years, but yet again I’m a baby adult starting at year one. It’s like the training wheels are off but now it’s time to ride that first mile.

When Alessia Cara said, “ I wish that I could freeze the time at 17 “ , I absolutely felt that. I’ve reached that age where I’m supposed to “figure it out and figure myself out”. What does that even mean? Is there some guide I don’t know about?

I’ve come to realize that this is what feels like the last stage of my “growing pains”. I know it doesn’t get much easier from here but I’m starting to understand a lot more about myself and who I’m supposed to be.

I’m learning more of what I want to be around me, who I want around me. Learning not to just settle for whatever comes my way, but instead seek out what I want. But wow, is it complicated.

Learning that my feelings are hard to navigate but it’s baby steps. Being able to recognize how I feel is the most important. Even writing here feels like a struggle because I can’t put what’s in my head into words. But I hope this is enough.

I’ve learned to not miss every opportunity of sheer happiness. I’m learning to open my mind and my spirit to joy and love. Real joy and love, not just that one time shit but a feeling that lingers and doesn’t seem to just go away. Moments that make me feel human.

I’m learning that not everyone will be present in my life so enjoy what I do get from those people. A beautiful quote I heard in a movie once was that, “you don’t need everyone to love you, just a few good people”. And this something that I’m bound to live with and live by.

[fmhiphop]

A Fed Up Lizzo: Restricts Her Twitter Account and Threatens To Quit Music

Being in the spotlight isn’t easy; it comes with extreme highs and lows, as mega performer Lizzo recently exhibited. Merely a day ago, a frustrated and enraged Lizzo restricted her Twitter account and expressed the possibility of quitting music altogether. What was the reason behind it all? A very old ugly issue that continues to rear its nasty head.   The Source of Lizzo’s Frustration A very insensitive tweet sent the “Special" artist into a tailspin. According to a recent article, Lizzo was extremely irritated after an insensitive tweeter had something to say about her weight. The poster inquired why the artist remained overweight despite her vigorous onstage activity. https://twitter.com/LayahHeilpern/status/1663204629230895106?s=20 While Lizzo has waded through a barrage of hateful comments in the past, this one was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. The source notes the artist’s response, read as thus: “I’m tired of explaining myself all the time, and I just wanna get on this app w/out seeing my name in some b#######.” The entire comment section was relentless, with no let-up. And respectfully, Lizzo was done. Given the timbre of the message and the lack of civility in how the public addresses Lizzo, no one can blame her for the outrage. The Same Old Song This is not the first time Lizzo has had to go toe to toe with negative nellies. Repeatedly, she has expressed her discontent with how people approach her. This time Lizzo did not leave it at an address to the initial commenter. She went even further to express her deepest sentiments for those who believe her weight is a promotional gimmick. Lizzo let the waiting public have it. In her words, “BEING FAT ISNT MY ‘BRAND’; BEING FAT IS WHAT MY BODY LOOKS THAT. THATS IT. THATS ALL. My ‘brand’ is FEEL GOOD MUSIC, It is CHAMPIONING ALL PEOPLE. My ‘brand’ is BLACK GIRL LIBERATION. https://twitter.com/Esther_Knowles_/status/1663977910900801543?s=20   The fact any logical individual would think this wasn't the case is ludicrous. Lizzo, Please Don’t Go Lizzo has been an inspiration to many. Her talent is astounding, and she exhibits a confidence that many young girls only wish they could have. The singer's success is refreshing in an industry where image appears to be everything. It is increasingly sad how the public cannot move past its fixation on external things as opposed to the gifts these courageous people bring to the world. While Lizzo has presented with thick skin, it’s not hard to see how ignoring personal attacks takes a toll. And this time, it took her to another place. The insults even led to the mention of the possibility of leaving the thing she loves, music. As the “Good as Hell” artist went on to say, I HATE IT HERE. The Love definitely does not outweigh the Hate on social media… all because I’m fat????” she stated. “Y’all don’t know how close I be to giving up on everyone and quitting and enjoying my money and my man on a F###### FARM. In Finality Life is hard. And it's undeniable the world would be much better if those who had nothing nice to say would simply say nothing. But unfortunately, that is not the way people move. And negativity is predominantly the choice selection of the day. So here is to hoping Lizzo can tune out the negative noise and target the positive. Her gift is much too brilliant to be shelved because of the uncivilized way people offer their unsolicited opinions. Lizzo is an inspiration, and at the end of the day, the package is inconsequential compared to all the beauty exuded from the inside. Lizzo is truly "Special" https://youtu.be/0ujjiNBQnmI Written By: Renae Richardson Read the full article

[lovemesomesurveys]

This past year... who were your favorite singers, musicians, or bands? I really didn’t listen to much music last year, but there’s a few songs I liked and that stood out for me such as Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush, I Like You by Post Malone, About Damn Time by Lizzo, Goo Goo Muck by the Cramps, and Bloody Mary by Lady Gaga. A few TikTok songs, too. 

what were some of your favorite foods? Well, last year was rough and I wasn’t enjoying food a whole lot at the beginning of the year. In fact, it was actually hard for me to eat. Then for 3 months in the hospital I was unable to eat or drink anything and could only have this formula stuff through a feeding tube. That was a really rough time. When I finally got home, I could only eat a few soft foods, including mashed potatoes and gravy which I ate a ton of for like a month and a half lol. When I finally moved up to being able to eat whatever, my obsession became Taco Bell. I eat that 5 days a week :X I’m also seriously obsessed with Reese’s. Oh, and I may be slowly getting back into my Wingstop obsession, ha. 

what was your favorite dessert? Reese’s for sure for the past few months, but before that when I could only eat soft foods I was really into ice cream and cheesecake. 

what was the best thing that happened to you? While my time in the hospital was long, hard, stressful, and scary, it ultimately ended up being the best thing for me. Making that decision truly saved my life and put me in the right direction to get back on track. Making it through the year and working on my health has definitely been the best thing that happened. To be perfectly honest, there was a time in the beginning when it looked like I might not stand a chance. I was so much worse than I ever thought. 

what was the worst thing that happened to you? My health decline for sure. Like I’ve said many times, I was in really bad shape and it was a very rough time. It wasn’t looking good for me. I’m still dealing with a lot and have quite a ways to go, but I’ve come further than I was then and have made a lot of improvements. 

how have you grown as a person? Honestly, I feel like I’ve kind of regressed and feel stunted. I just kind of feel stuck if that makes that sense. It’s like everything has been put on hold since my health issues began. Last year feels like it was completely stolen. I have a lot of growing up to do still even as a 33 year old woman. A lot of catching up to do. There’s still much I need to work on and be more responsible about. 

what have you learned? You shouldn’t put off things that have to do with your health. You can’t just ignore shit and hope it goes away. Sometimes things may get better on their own, but some things can end up progressing and becoming so much worse. It’s best to get it checked out because it could literally cost you your life. I also need to work on really hearing and considering the advice given to me and stop thinking I know better or more. I need to learn not to let my fears dictate everything. I had been in denial in regards to how bad things actually were. God gave me another chance and I need to do something with it. 

how old did you turn? I turned 33. 

what did you do for your birthday? I was in the hospital unable to eat, drink, or do anything really so that sucked. My mom was really sweet, though, and brought big balloons and birthday hats for us to wear. My brother also brought me big balloons. My dad was able to come by for a couple hours after work to spend some time with me.  My family did the best they could given the situation to try and bring me some joy.

what did you accomplish? Making it through the year and making improvements. 

where did you live? At my house and the hospital for a few months.  

who was your best friend? My mom and brother.

This past year, have you.... made a new friend? No.

lost a friend? No. I didn’t have any friends, so there was no one to lose. 

made a new best friend? No.

lost someone close to you? No. 

attended a funeral? No.

attended a wedding? No. 

gave birth to a child? 🤰 Nooo.

"came out of the closet"? No. It’s not a secret that I’m straight.  

traveled? I did back in March and April. felt depressed? 😔 Of course. I have chronic depression and last year certainly didn’t help. It was a very low time. 

felt suicidal? 😔

felt happy? 😃 At many points throughout the year. I’m largely healed now which is great.

felt at peace? 😊 With certain decisions I made in the hospital.

felt overjoyed? 💃 No.

felt blessed? 😇 Absolutely. I’m still here because of God. 

felt amazed? 🤩 No.

fallen in love? 😍 No.

had your heart broken? 💔 Yes, a few times and not just in the romantic sense. 

got a new car? 🚗 No.

graduated? 👩‍🎓 No. 

experienced something miraculous? ✨ Yes.

had a better year than last year? In a way. Like, in the sense that I finally took some things seriously and did some things I should have done awhile ago to help get better. It took a lot to get me there, though, and it definitely wasn’t easy. I still have work to do, but I’m so blessed to even still be here and be given that chance. There’s been good changes. 

had a worse year than last year? I’d also consider it the worst year of my life. I can’t believe things were as bad as they were and ended up in the hospital for so long. I can’t believe all that happened while I was there. My life changed so much to say the least and I’m not in the clear, yet. While there’s been some improvements, I’m also still having a hard time with some things. Apart from my health, I’m also struggling with being bedridden and missing out on life. 

been to see the doctor? 👨‍⚕️ Yeah, several times. I also saw a ton of doctors in the hospital. 

been to the hospital? 🏥 I think I’ve made that pretty clear. 

had a severe allergic reaction? 🤧 No.

had COVID? 🦠 Yes, but fortunately I was asymptomatic. 

found out someone you knew had COVID? 🦠 My parents, brother, my aunt, my grandparents, and my cousin all got hit with it.  used an epi pen? 💉 No.

had a fever? 🥵 Yes.

had a migraine? 🧠 No.

gone on a date? 🌹 No. 

written in a journal or diary? 📔 Yes. My mom had gotten me one with various prompts to give me something to do in the hospital. 

given someone a hug? 🤗 Yeah. 

cut your hair? 💇‍♀️ No.

danced around your living room? 💃 No.

prayed? 🙏 Yes, a lot. 

worshiped Jesus? Yes.

read the Bible? 📖 Yes.

discovered a new favorite book? 📕 Yeah, a few. 

gone to church? ⛪️ I’ve only been able to watch the livestreams. 

went for a walk in the fall? 🍁 No. 

set up and decorated a Christmas tree? 🎄 We had our tree up, but I wasn’t able to help. 

threw up? 🤮 Yes.

almost threw up? 🤢 Yes. 

discovered a new music artist you really liked? 🎤 I did. 

discovered a new song you really liked? 🎶 Yeah, a few.  seen snow? ⛄️ No.

seen beautiful fall foliage? 🍁 No.

gone to the beach? 🏝 Yeah, a few times at the beginning of the year. I was supposed to go a few times in the summer, but.... :/

rode a bike? 🚴 No.

rode a horse? 🐎 No.

swam? 👙 No. It’s been over a decade since I’ve swam. 

worn makeup? 💄 Nope. 

done a craft project? Yeah. I did a couple for Easter and then a few a couple weekends ago with my aunt.

made a scrapbook page? No.

written an essay? 📝 No.

painted something? 🎨 Yes. The craft projects I said I did involved painting.

drawn something? ✍️ Yeah, some random little doodles. 

sketched in a sketchbook? ^^^

written someone a letter? 📝 No.

been to a concert? 👩‍🎤 No. I haven’t been to a concert since 2009. :( I miss them. 

driven a car? 🚘 No.

kayaked? 🛶 No.

gone on a cruise? 🚢 No.

made a big purchase? Well, purchases when I did my Christmas shopping. 

moved to a new home? 🏡 No. My family and I really want to move, though. 

got a new pet? No.

lost a pet? No.

gotten a tattoo? No.

gotten a new piercing? No. 

started a new hobby? Not a new one, but I briefly got back into one I hadn’t done in awhile, which was bracelet making. 

worn a mask? 😷 Yeah, whenever I went somewhere. 

felt afraid to leave your house? I still worry about COVID. I rarely go anywhere now due to being bedridden.

celebrated your birthday alone? No.

celebrated Christmas alone? No.

went for a long walk through the neighborhood? No.

Favorites of this Year (Pick one for each.) Song: I already listed them in the first question, but I’ll give you my top 3: Goo Goo Muck by The Cramps, Bloody Mary by Lady Gaga, and Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush. 

Book: I didn’t read nearly as much last year as I usually do, but the few I read from a couple series I’ve been reading I enjoyed. 

TV show: Oh man, I watched and obsessed over so many shows last year. If I had to give my top 3 I’d say Stranger Things, Wednesday, and Daredevil. There’s several more I could include as well. When I was in the hospital I binged a ton of shows. 

Youtube channel: Several ASMR channels, a couple vloggers, and a couple Disney channels. 

Food: I answered this already as well, but I’d say my biggest obsessions were mashed potatoes and gravy, Taco Bell, and Reese’s. 

Dessert: Reese’s and cheesecake. 

Drink: International Delight iced caramel macchiato, Starbucks Doubleshot energy drinks, and the peppermint white chocolate mocha from Starbucks.

Friend: I don’t have any friends. 

Thing you did: The beach trips I had at the beginning of the year. 

Place you went: ^^^

Person you spend time with: My mom and brother. 

Thing you did for your birthday: I talked about what I did for my birthday, which unfortunately was spent in the hospital so I couldn’t do much, but I did get to spend it with my family. 

Celebrity: Alexander Skarsgard of course, but I have a few new favorites as well such Sebastian Stan, Oscar Isaac, Pedro Pascal, and Jenna Ortega. 

Website: Tumblr and YouTube.

Emojis: I use the laughing face with the tears, the goofy one with the tongue sticking out, and the slanted sad face emojis most often. 

Colors: Pastels, rose gold, sea foam green, coral, and yellow. 

Restaurant: I haven’t gone out to eat in quite awhile, but my favorite takeout is Taco Bell and Wingstop. 

Tea flavor ☕️: Peppermint or chamomile. Final Questions!

Would you say this past year has been a good year overall? I’ve talked about how I felt about last year in great length already. 

What are your goals for the new year? To continue working on my health and making improvements and hopefully be able to do some things as well as a little traveling again. 

How old will you turn next year? This is meant for 2023, in which case I’ll be 34. 

Did you make any big mistakes this past year? I made huge mistakes. 

Do you have any big changes coming? I really hope big positive changes are coming my way.

How will you be celebrating New Year's Eve this year? I hung out with my aunt and watched the NYE stuff on TV. 

What was the best day of this year for you, and why? I mean, as scary and awful my time in the hospital was, it saved my life and led to good things, so I’d have to say the day I finally admitted myself was ultimately the best in that regard. The day I finally came home from the hospital was another, and the day I finally was able to start eating and drinking normally again was as well. 

What did you spend the most time doing this year? Trying to get better.